Leukemia primarily affects the blood and bone marrow, where it causes the overproduction of abnormal, immature white blood cells that crowd out healthy cells, leading to issues like anemia, infections, and bleeding. These cancerous cells can then spread (metastasize) from the bone marrow to other organs, including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain, and spinal cord, causing further symptoms.
Leukemia usually involves the white blood cells. Your white blood cells are potent infection fighters — they normally grow and divide in an orderly way, as your body needs them. But in people with leukemia, the bone marrow produces an excessive amount of abnormal white blood cells, which don't function properly.
Bleeding or bruising
Platelets help to clot the blood, so you may have nosebleeds, unexplained bruising or unusually heavy periods. This is generally a later symptom of CLL, rather than an earlier one. Often bleeding and bruising happens in people who have a bleeding condition as well as CLL.
Some people with leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes have bone or joint pain. This bone pain is most often felt in the long bones of the arms and legs, in the ribs, and in the breastbone. Joint pain and swelling of the large joints, like the hips and shoulders, sometimes starts several weeks after bone pain begins.
Petechiae from leukemia often resemble a common skin rash, such as atopic dermatitis. However, leukemia rashes have a distinguishing characteristic: When pressure is applied, the spots will retain their red, purple or brown color. Conversely, when pressure is applied to any other type of rash, the skin will turn white.
The Biggest Indicator of Leukemia: Persistent Abnormal Blood Counts. One of the most significant signs of leukemia is persistent abnormal blood counts. These changes can affect different parts of the blood. It's important to understand these changes early for treatment.
Some common areas where people with blood cancer experience itching are on the torso, back, legs and arms. The sensation can come and go in short bursts or it may last for long periods of time.
Common leukemia symptoms may include:
Shortness of breath. Pale skin (pallor) Easy bruising or bleeding (such as frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums) Red spots on the skin (petechiae)
Leukemia spots, called petechiae, look like tiny, flat, pinpoint-sized red, purple, or brown dots that appear in clusters, often on arms, legs, or the mouth, and importantly, do not fade or turn white when pressed. They form from broken capillaries due to low platelets, resembling a rash but are actually tiny bleeds under the skin.
In fact, according to our most recent patient survey, around 19% of leukaemia patients reported weight loss as a major symptom that lead to their diagnosis.
Leukemic Infiltration: In rare cases, CLL cells may accumulate in the lining of the intestines or colon, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, diarrhea or rectal bleeding.
Direct infiltration by leukemia or lymphoma cells can lead to symptoms such as otalgia, hearing loss, nasal obstruction, and dysphagia [11,12].
In leukemia, white blood cells rapidly multiply and crowd the bone marrow at the expense of red blood cells. Fewer red blood cells mean lower hemoglobin levels. Leukemia cells also need lots of iron to maintain their rapid growth.
What is Leukemia (Blood Cancer)? Leukemia starts in the soft, inner part of the bones (bone marrow), but often moves quickly into the blood. It can then spread to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, central nervous system, and other organs.
Demographics – While anyone can conceivably develop leukemia, white males are statistically most susceptible.
Night sweats that occur due to leukaemia will usually be experienced alongside other symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss or excessive bruising. The night sweats may also present in the daytime as fever, or can lead to sleeping problems.
Swollen lymph nodes in your neck, underarm, groin or stomach, an enlarged spleen or liver. Bruising and bleeding easily, including nosebleeds, bleeding gums, a rash that looks like tiny red spots in skin (petechiae) or purplish/darkened skin patches.
Some basal cell carcinomas may appear as raised, pink or red, translucent, shiny, pearly bumps that may bleed after a minor injury. They may have a lower area in their center, and blue, brown, or black areas. Know the signs and symptoms of basal cell carcinoma.
Unusual areas – In leukaemia bruising can occur in more atypical areas such as non-bony areas and can occur more commonly on the back, legs, and hands. In children, bruises may begin to appear in areas such as the face, buttocks, ears, chest, and head.
Leukemia symptoms commonly include fatigue, breathlessness, infections, and bruising or bleeding more easily. Leukemia* symptoms vary depending on the type of leukemia. Not everyone gets the same symptoms, and you won't necessarily have all of the symptoms.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is often a silent disease during the initial stages, with many patients having no noticeable symptoms. CLL is commonly detected by accident when routine blood testing reveals an elevated lymphocyte count (lymphocytosis).
Leukemia is commonly misdiagnosed as the following conditions:
Leukemia symptoms include:
The rash that's not really a rash: petechiae
Leukemia can impair the body's ability to generate platelets, which makes repairing itself harder. As a result, tiny bruises may start to form in areas where blood naturally accumulates, such as the feet, legs, arms or hands.
Common signs and symptoms of lymphoma